title: The belonging of gpMuc, a glycoprotein from Mucuna pruriens seeds, to the Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor family explains its direct anti-snake venom activity.
abstract: In Nigeria, Mucuna pruriens seeds are locally prescribed as an oral prophylactic for snake bite and it is claimed that when two seeds are swallowed they protect the individual for a year against snake bites. In order to understand the Mucuna pruriens antisnake properties, the proteins from the acqueous extract of seeds were purified by three chromatographic steps: ConA affinity chromatography, tandem anionic-cationic exchange and gel filtration, obtaining a fraction conventionally called gpMucB. This purified fraction was analysed by SDS-PAGE obtaining 3 bands with apparent masses ranging from 20 to 24 kDa, and by MALDI-TOF which showed two main peaks of 21 and 23 kDa and another small peak of 19 kDa. On the other hand, gel filtration analysis of the native protein indicated a molecular mass of about 70 kDa suggesting that in its native form, gpMucB is most likely an oligomeric multiform protein. Infrared spectroscopy of gpMucB indicated that the protein is particularly thermostable both at neutral and acidic pHs and that it is an all beta protein. All data suggest that gpMucB belongs to the Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor family explaining the direct anti-snake venom activity of Mucuna pruriens seeds.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biologia, e Genetica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Ranieri, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scirè
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanfani
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Furlani
authors.forename: Hope-Onyekwere N
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Nadozie
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cortelazzo
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guerranti
mesh_terms: D000997:Antivenins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D031299:Mucuna / Q000737:chemistry*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D055550:Protein Stability; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D006023:Glycoproteins; C053865:Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, plant; D010455:Peptides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins